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Tennessee Bill of Sale Form: How to Get One, Fill it Out, and the Required Information

January 27, 2012

If you wish to obtain a Tennessee bill of sale form, you need to keep in a mind a few important tips. A Tennessee bill of sale is a legal document that's required to prove that a sale transpired between a buyer and a seller. If you're going to purchase a new or used vehicle from a dealer, you won't have to worry about documentation, as the bill of sale will be provided to you after the deal is finalized. However, if you're buying a used vehicle from a private seller, you need to get a Tennessee bill of sale to legally transfer ownership of the vehicle to your name. The bill of sale is also often used as a sales receipt to calculate vehicle tax. Although the law governing the sale of a vehicle differs in every state, buyers and sellers of motor vehicles in Tennessee are required by law to have a bill of sale. While some states don't insist on acquiring a bill of sale, it's always beneficial to do so, to provide proof any transaction.

How to Obtain a TN Bill of Sale Form

You may be able to download a generic bill of sale form from the Internet, but you're better off contacting your local DMV office in Tennessee to obtain one. These generic bill of sale forms are made available by third party providers for a small fee. However, since some states require you to exclusively use forms provided by the DMV, it's best to call your local DMV office and request one. Unlike Tennessee, other states that require a bill of sale document for car sales allow consumers to download the form from the DMV website. To find out more information on buying a bill of sale form from a third party provider, visit the Bill of Sale Form website. However, you must remember that you could obtain this form for free, if you live in a state that makes it mandatory for buyers and sellers to use one.

Filling out the Bill of Sale Form

The bill of sale form should have the name, address and signature of the previous car owner. Similarly, it should also have the name, address and signature of the new owner. In addition, you must make sure that you correctly enter the vehicle identification number. Other details that need to be mentioned include the make, model and year of manufacture of the vehicle, and the vehicle's odometer reading. Since the document has to be notarized, the buyer and seller both have to be in the presence of a notary to sign and date the form. After the documents are notarized, the new owner can obtain a clear title and continue with the vehicle registration process.

As a used car buyer, you need to make sure that the vehicle has no previous title issues. The seller will have to provide you with the current car title documents and this bill of sale to complete the transaction. Although the seller is not required to maintain a copy of the bill of sale, it's always advisable to keep legal documents on file.